Catch up with new books by David Wood and Debbie Travis; read about the NAIT Culinary R&D Centre and make plans to visit the Freezing Father, January 6-11.
NAIT dives into Product Research and Development
NAIT is building a brand spanking new centre for culinary product research and development. The centre will focus on: creating food experiences using novel ingredients and new techniques; nutrition and health and sustainability and kitchen efficiency.
“We want to build on NAIT’s culinary reputation and our expertise in finding solutions for industry. The time is now to invest in agri-foods and add value to the crops Alberta produces, which are some of the best in the world,” said Dana Gibson, director of business development, NAIT Centre for Culinary Innovation.
The Centre for Culinary Innovation’s certified research chef, Maynard Kolskog, is already working with local food producers and manufacturers in the current test kitchen. The new centre, next to NAIT’s fine dining restaurant, Ernest’s, will expand the scope and scale with six high-tech kitchen stations. The $2.55 million centre is expected to be open by summer 2019.
Debbie’s Fresh Take on DIY
Debbie Travis was on our TV screens for a generation, teaching us how to transform spaces. But what happens when your life as a decorating guru is not cutting it anymore? In her new book Design your Next Chapter, Travis outlines her journey from being who Oprah dubbed “the master of paint and plaster” to becoming the operator of a 13th century Tuscan farmhouse turned hotel. Travis shares what transformed her life, and her stories and common sense advice aim to motivate anyone who finds themselves standing at a crossroads wondering, “What’s next for me?”
Design your Next Chapter by Debbie Travis, 256 pages, Random House, $32.
Bus Fuller at the Pinnacle
Bus Fuller, the founder of Earl’s Restaurants, was presented with the Pinnacle Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the Canadian hospitality industry late last year. “Receiving this award is like a hockey player winning the Stanley Cup,” he said. “I couldn’t have done this without my sons, our suppliers, and our diners, who are the best customers ever. Earl’s is only getting started, I can’t wait to be a part of what our team achieves next.” Edmontonians love Earl’s, from the time of the first restaurant in an old Denny’s on Jasper Avenue. The Earl’s empire now has 66 restaurants in two countries. Bus Fuller also turned 90 in 2018. What a year!
The Classic David Wood
Dedicated food people with long memories know David Wood from his food specialty shops in Toronto, have enjoyed his pristine Salt Spring Island cheeses, or cooked from his first book, the David Wood Food Book. Now there is a new cookbook, ready to introduce a new generation or two to his straightforward, no-fuss way of looking at food. “It’s not what you eat, it’s how you make it that matters,” he says. Cooking for Friends is packed with terrific recipes that use everyday ingredients to elevate weeknight dinners or make get-togethers special—scallops with lemon and olives, lamb shanks with figs and red wine, poached pears with caramel ginger sauce—and that allow the cook to enjoy the party too.
Cooking for Friends by David Wood, 340 pages, Whitecap Books, $40.
Feeding the Freezing Father
Several local chefs and restaurants are pulling together again this year to provide breakfast and dinner to the freezing father, Peter Burgess. Peter, his wife Candace and son Ben lost daughter and sister Elan in 2007 to a sudden illness. They know from personal experience the difference the Stollery makes in people’s lives and, for the third winter, Peter is camping out to raise funds for the children’s hospital. Todd Rutter, A Cappella Catering; Ryan Hotchkiss, Bündok; Cindy and Brad Lazarenko, Culina; Serge Bélair, Edmonton Conference Centre (formerly the Shaw); Lindsay Porter, London Local; Michael Hassall, Ernest’s (NAIT) ; Charles Rothman; Shane Chartrand, SC at the River Cree; and Gregg Kenney, Vivo, are back again along with the Derrick Club.
Peter, Candace and Ben are amazing individuals. To help them raise funds for Stollery, donate at freezingfather.org or visit Peter at campsite #29 at the Rainbow Valley Camp Ground, from Sunday, January 6 to Friday, January 11. Peter will be joined by members of the Stollery Pediatric nursing team.
Photo by Blaise van Malsen, NAIT